Shed-forming device



April 25, W39

A. JQHNSON SHED-FORMING DEVICE Original Filed Aug. 10, 1936 Patented Apr. 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- SHED-FORMING DEVICE Andrew Johnson, Chicago, Ill.

Substituted for abandoned application Serial No.

95,105, August 1936. This application November 22, 1938, Serial No. 241,857

4 Claims. (Cl. 139-33) This invention relates to a device for forming a Figure 2 is a fragmentary side view in elevation shed to facilitate the stringing of instruments of the device. used in sports. When tennis rackets or other Figure 3 is a longitudinal side view in elevation similar instruments are strung or restrung by of the device, showing a face which is opposite to ,5 hand the transverse strings are threaded through that disclosed in Fig. 2. 5

alternate warp which are in substantially the Figure 4 is a fragmentary edge View of the desame plane and under great tension so that as vice. H the weft strings are drawn through for the full Figure 5 is a transverse section of the device length, they will, as it were, saw on the warp or shown applied in its initial position to the warp 19 longitudinal strings and injure them. Furtherstrings of a tennis racket. more, a great deal of time is lost bysuch tedious Figure 6 is a transverse section showing a view methods. similar to that of Fig. 5 with the device moved to An object of the present invention is the proan operative position between the warp strings vision of a device which is adapted to be applied of a tennis racket. l6 rapidly to the warp strings of a tennis racket or Figure 7 is a view in perspective of one form of other similar device for forcing alternate threads needle for drawing the transverse strings through or strings in opposite directions to form a shed the-shed of the warp strings.

whereby a needle or sheddles may be passed Referring more particularly to the drawing, [0 through the shed carrying a transverse string designates the frame of a tennis racket which is easily and rapidly therethrough. adapted to be restrung and showing warp strings 20 Another object of the invention is the provision l l in position. These strings have been threaded of a simple and efficient device which may be through the usual perforations formed in the readily applied to the warp strings of a tennis frame and have been placed under a great tension racket or other similar bat used in sports for so that the racket is now in condition for the apforming a shed through which is adapted to be plication of weft strings l2. It will be apprer 5 inserted a transverse string, the device being ciated that the stringing of the racket or frame adapted to be rocked for not only spreading with the warp strings H is a comparatively simalternate strings from the remaining strings but ple matter but the application of the weft strings for rocking the device to an operative position. l2 presents a complicated problem due to the A further object of the invention is the provifact that these strings must be inserted through 30 sion of a device for forming a shed of warp alternate warp strings atone face while engagstrings of a tennis racket or similar bat used in ing the opposite faces of the remaining strings. sports to facilitate the threading of transverse whe th transverse string I2 is threaded, s n s, the device vi m a f r i ing through the longitudinal strings II it will be 3g spaced tongues or abutments into proper engagefound that the transverse string must, be inserted ment with alternate strings so that when the dethrough a pair of the longitudinal strings in one vic is rocked from an initial to an operative direction and then inserted in the opposite direcposition, two series of alternate strings will not tion through the next pair which includes one of only be held in spaced relation but the device will the strings ofthe first pair. When the string has m be retained in the operative position by the warp been inserted through the last of the pair of longi- 40 strings which are under great tension. tudinal strings the entire weft string must be This invention willbe best understood from a drawn through the longitudinal St i s or Subconsideration of the following detailed descripstantially its full length and Weft string is tion, in View of the accompanying drawing m considerable length. When this threading and 5 mg a part of the Specification; nevertheless it is drawing takes place a number of times the trans-. v

to be understood that the invention is not con- K22233 5 figgg z ig g gg g x g zfii g? fined to the dlsclosure. bemg .iusceptlble of such, move the entire work which has been done. In changes and modifications WhlCh shall define no t t th other words, when the weft string is drawnma erial epar ure mm 8 salient e t of hrough the longitudinal strings H which are in the invention as expressed in the appended the same plane, there is a constant sawing action claims- I taking place not-only on the string which is being In the drawm drawn through but on the longitudinal strings Figure 1 is a plan view of a tennis racket showwhich are under great tension. ing my device in an operative position. v The device which constitutes the subject-mat- 55 ter of the present invention is intended to form a shed l3 (Fig. 6) of the various longitudinal strings so that the transverse strings |2 may be inserted through the shed and thereby eliminate the sawing action previously explained.

The shed forming device H is in the shape of an elongated member which is substantially fiat and relatively narrow and formed of any suitable material such as metal or composition material. It will be noted that the outer ends as shown at l5 are rounded so that when the device is rocked these roundedends may be moved in close association with the curvedrestricted portions l6 of the frame l so that these rounded portions will clear the curved portions of the frame.

The bar I4 is provided along one edge with a plurality of spaced notches 20 thereby forming fingers 2|. The outer ends of these fingers, as shown at 22, are adapted to engage or be seated upon the longitudinal strings II as will be presently explained. One side wall 23 is substantially straight with the upper end of the wall merging into a curved portion 24 and this curved portion is continued in a downwardly extending curved edge 25. The material of the bar adjacent each notch is provided with a cutaway section 26 at the inner face of the bar to form a flared portion to permit the string H to move freely in the notch.

A lip 30 extends laterally from the lower end of a rib 3| and substantially across the notch 20 with the free end 32 of the lip terminating short of the curved side wall 25 of each notch. Referring more particularly to Figs. and 6 it will be seen that each lip has a rounded surface 33 which moves in engagement with the underface of a longitudinal string II when the bar i4 is rocked from the initial position in Fig. 5 to its operative position Fig. 6. This rounded'portion of the lip which moves over the underface of the string |l prevents wearing of the string during this slight angular rockingmovement of the bar.

The free end 22 of the finger 2| is also rounded as shown in Fig. 6 since it moves over the opposite face of an alternate string HA and thus prevents any wearing action on the string.

The ribs 3| increasein thickness from their upper ends 34 to a point where they merge into the lips 30 and these ribs have one edge substantially in alignment with the wall 23 of each notch 20. Since these ribs increase in thickness they are gradually raised from the plane of the bar '|4 to a plane which is located outwardly of one face of thebar so that the lips 32- which extend laterally from such ends of the ribs will also be located within a plane which is parallel to a face of the bar.

As has been explained, the lips 3|! and the ribs 3| project beyond the surface of the bar |4 so that when said surface of the bar is placed in engagement with the longitudinal strings H as shown in Fig. 5, the lips being in a plane outwardly of said surface, will pass through the spaces between the strings I whereby when the bar is shifted slightly to the left in Fig. 1 the series of lips will engage beneath alternate strings ll of the racket while the fingers 2| will'be located above the plane of the longitudinal strings It is only necessary to rock the bar I4 from the position shown in Fig. 5 to" the position shown in Fig. 6 when the free ends 22 of the fingers 2| will engage alternate strings HA and the lips 30 will engage the adjacent faces of the remaining strings H and these two series of strings will be forced apart to form the shed I3 (Fig. 6) and the bar will be retained in a substantially locked position by the tension of the strings H and HA because said bar has been rocked to a position beyond dead center of the contact of the strings H and IA with the lips 30 and the fingers 2|.

The transverse or weft strings l2 maybe inserted through the shed I3 with facility and this insertion is aided by means of one form of needle illustrated in Fig. 7. This needle comprises a shank 40 formed of resilient wire which adjacent its end is formed into a coil 4| and beyond this point the wire is twisted into a pair of jaws 42 and 43 which by reason of the resiliency of the wire is adapted to clamp or grip the free end I2A of the weft string I2 with sufllcient force to permit the operator to draw the needle through the shed l3 and likewise the string I3. The coil 4| forms a protective cylinder for the extreme outer end of the weft string |2 so that this free end will not project beyond the needle and engage the longitudinal strings I and obstruct the free movement of the needle.

After the shed |3 has been formed, as shown in Fig. 6, the needle is inserted through the shed from one side of the racket to the other and the free end of the weft string I2 is inserted between the jaws 42 and 43 of the needle and seated within the coil 4| so that when the shank 40 is withdrawn by means of the finger-piece 44 the string |2 will be drawn through the shed. Sufficient pull is applied to the string 2 after the same is in position and the bar I4 is moved to the inoperative position shown in Fig. 5 and then removed. The tension of the longitudinal strings I I will hold the weft string 2 in position and the bar is then moved to another position so that the lips 30 will engage beneath the series of strings which had been previously engaged by the fingers 2| and said fingers will be seated or engage the other series of strings which had been previously engaged by the lips 30. When the bar is rocked to position shown in Fig. 6 the shed will be formed again but withthe series of strings forced apart in a reverse manner. This method is continued until the frame has been restrung.

It will be appreciated that various lengths of.

the bar may be forced for various sizes of rackets and several lengths of these bars may be usedfor forming the sheds adjacent the opposite ends of the racket frame and for the central portion of the frame.

This application is a substitute'for the ab doned application Serial No. 95,105, filed Aug. 10, 1936.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising an elongated member having spaced depending fingers located substantially in the plane of said member, and a lip projecting from each finger across the space between a pair of fingers, said lips being located substantially in a plane which is oflset from the plane of said member, the free end of each lip terminating short of the adjacently disposed finger. 7

2. A device of the class described comprising an elongated member having spaced depending fingers, a lip projecting laterally from each finger and across the spacebetween a pair of fingers,

said lips being .oflset from the plane of the finand across the space between a pair of fingers, said lips being oflset from the plane of the fingers gers and inwardly of the free ends of said fingers, a rib disposed adjacent each finger and transversely of the member for guiding the lips and free ends of the finger into engagement with spaced longitudinal strings of a. racket.

4. A device for forming a shed of the strings of a tennis racket comprising a substantially rigid member having spaced transverse ribs on one face and a lip projecting laterally from each rib, said member adjacent the lips being provided with notches thereby forming spaced fingers, the

lips extending across the notches and having free ends terminating short of an adjacent wall of the notch so that alternate strings may pass beyond the free end of a lip and be supported by the lips with the fingers engaging the remaining strings when said member is lying in flat contact with the strings, the member when rocked through a predetermined angular position causing the lips and fingers to force the two groups apart.

ANDREW JOHNSON. 

